Evening Ritual
by jayjang2
Summary: Sasuke washes his hair, Naruto dries it. Oneshot.


Naruto's decision to cut his hair stems more for the practicality of it above anything else. He's a busy man after all, not one to spend time on styling or even drying his hair. Naruto thinks that cutting his hair is the most sensible thing he's made his entire life.

When the time comes that Sasuke finally decides to cut his hair short, Naruto will clap him on the back with understanding. But Naruto will understand him anyway if the man keeps his hair as is.

Besides, he has his reasons.

Hiding his Rinnegan is one thing. He thinks that one look at Sasuke's eyes will instantly give away his identity, not that it matters much because his striking appearance is much of a giveaway all the same. In fact, the way he wears his hair cements his identity as much as it hides it.

Sometimes Naruto thinks that Sasuke hiding behind his locks is the same as wanting to keep a part of yourself hidden from the world. Naruto can relate to this, can feel the hesitance to let the world see behind the unmarred face to find some pieces of broken glass and void.

It doesn't mean that Naruto does not get bothered by all the rituals Sasuke goes through for the sake of his hair, from buying several hair products, combing it dry and putting on his damned turban. All of those, Naruto can stand but not when Sasuke sleeps with his hair dripping wet at night.

Naruto heard the lock of the bathroom click as it opened and reveal a pink skinned Sasuke step out of the steamy room. Sasuke sure likes his bath as hot as his katon jutsus that's for sure.

Sasuke's hair is dripping all over his damp body. The towel on his neck is heavily soaked and the garter of his pajama pants have a smattering of wet spots. There are droplets of water dribbling over his exposed torso and Naruto tries not to follow them down to his abdomen… and lower.

Dark eyes are looking at him, sleepy they may be but still as intense. It's alluring, really, makes him think about cold nights and rumpled sheets over bare tangled legs. Naruto averted his gaze choosing to fluff up his pillow with constrained force.

They're not like that. He reminds himself. They're not.

Sasuke threw the towel on the floor after hastily drying his hair. Rubbing it over his head without much thought before dragging the extra sleeping mat from the corner of the room to set it up next to Naruto's.

Shaking his head, Naruto grabbed an extra towel from his drawer and sat down on his sleeping mat.

"You'll get yourself blind if you sleep like that"

Naruto faced Sasuke with a teasing look on his face which earned him a snort of some sort at the lame attempt to joke.

"Then, I'm doing the world a favor"

It irritates the blond to hear those words from the other man but knows better not to rise to the bait. Some other time, he may have humored Sasuke and fight him, but not now when Sasuke is pliable and sleepy.

"Just come here will you?"

Naruto pulled at the other man's wrist forcing Sasuke to sit opposite to him immune to the glare that the other man throws at him.

"Okay, head down, let's dry your hair"

Sasuke hesitated, that is until Naruto grabbed the back of his head so he's bowed in front of Naruto. Well, what did Sasuke expect, subtlety has been the least of Naruto's strong points.

Naruto sighed and started to slowly dry Sasuke's hair starting from the hair at the end of his nape. Carefully patting and squeezing excess water from the dark locks.

"You know, for someone so meticulous, you're pretty lazy with grooming your hair"

"That's why I hide it inside a turban, yeah?" Sasuke murmured.

"Don't I know it"

A sound of appreciation escaped Sasuke as Naruto continued to massage his head. They're both silent for a moment, only the sound of crickets outside and the muted sound of towel working its magic through Sasuke's hair.

"I'll be leaving in a week" Sasuke whispered at the silence of the room, feeling a bit confident to get it out there with his head bowed down, without Naruto's eyes mapping his very soul.

Sasuke knows Naruto gets why he's telling that to him. Out of respect for their… bond or whatever. But it's more than that, and Naruto knows it's an open invitation, every time.

"Hmm"

Yet Naruto only ever answers in a quiet hum of acknowledgement and not committing to anything else. It's funny because Naruto is the most expressive person Sasuke knows and its amusing for him to see the blond suppress himself.

Sasuke doesn't push though, scared of the words that he'll hear… of disturbing whatever hangs in the air between them.

Because he's pretty much comfortable where he is - with Naruto's hands on his head, playing with his hair. Yet, at the same time, during times like this, when Naruto sits close to him, thighs pressed together, he wants to ask, close the gap between them.

Sasuke leans his head to Naruto's chest with closed eyes, trying to stop himself from feeling stupid at his weakness.

He can taste the words suspended on his tongue.

 _Come with me, Naruto_

But every time, ever single fucking time it gets stuck between his throat and lips and it's getting harder and harder to stop it from escaping.

Naruto grips the hair on the back of his hair tight. Sasuke savors the pleasurable pain as Naruto clenches the hair from his head. The blond's other hand is firm on his nape.

In his grip is a silent plea to _stay._


End file.
